18 March 2025
Article by Marlowe Bloem.
On Saturday, the Ides of March, Durban High School (DHS) hosted their rivals Maritzburg College on Van Heerden’s Field in a King Price Derby Series match.
Last year, the Horseflies travelled to College and won 21-18. When last the match was played in Durban, in 2024, School scored a tight 14-7 win.
DHS took an early lead when College was penalised at a breakdown. Flyhalf Jordan Van Wyk collected the three points from 30 metres out.
However, when the home side were penalised for an illegal steal in the 8th minute, College left wing, Adam Cahill, levelled the scores from a similar distance.
In the 13th minute, Cahill was on target again, this time from 40 metres out, to give the visitors a 6-3 lead.
School had a chance to pull even with College after forcing a turnover at the breakdown in the 18th minute, but Van Wyk’s penalty kick at goal from 35 metres out was wide.
In the 32nd minute of the game, DHS scored the first try. Starting on their 10-metre line, a cross-field kick from inside centre, Zingce Simka, was caught by flank, Daniel Ikotela, who passed to his inside man, no. 13, Zenkosi Mthiyane, who flew through untouched to score in the corner.
The home side scored again, two minutes later, as the half drew to a close. Another cross-field kick was attempted, but this one was longer and higher. College fullback Lee-Rynne Sinkfontein, under heavy pressure, spilled the ball. Sharks’ Craven Week scrumhalf, Marcwin Nero, kicked it through to beyond the visitors’ try-line and won the race to the ball to dot down for five points. Van Wyk added the extras.
Halftime-score: 17-6 in favour of DHS
Early in the second half, DHS increased their lead. A lineout in the College 22 resulted in a series of pick and goes from the powerful Horseflies’ forwards. Nero showed patience and, once enough College players had been sucked into the breakdown, he chose to go wide. An overlap allowed left wing, Nathan Aneka, to dot down in the corner and Van Wyk, again, nailed his conversion kick.
School sealed the deal in the 62nd minute, with yet another accurate cross-field kick. After a series of pick and goes from five metres out, Nero passed to fullback, Cilermo Carolus. He delivered an exquisite kick into the hands of Mulisithando George, who dotted down in the corner. With Van Wyk off the field, Carlous missed the tough conversion attempt.
College scored a consolation try in the dying moments of the game. The Pietermaritzburg school took a tap and go from 10 metres out. Scrumhalf, Rylan Armoed fed prop, Alande Ngubane, who offload in the tackle to captain and eighthman, Wasi Vyambwera, who broke the line to score. The replacement fullback added the extras.
Final score: DHS 29-13 Maritzburg College.
College was rusty in their first match of the season, which was understandable. DHS was the top side in KZN last year and may put a gap between themselves and the rest this year.
Their forwards were powerful in the set scrums and in their carries, but their lineout was inconsistent. The offload game and versatile kicking arsenal of the Horseflies was impressive, though.
College faces a stiff challenge from Northwood on Friday in their home debut on Goldstone’s. DHS will be tested at Michaelhouse on Saturday.
RESULTS
1st: DHS 29-13 Maritzburg College
2nd: DHS 22-15 Maritzburg College
3rd: DHS 5-7 Maritzburg College
4th: DHS 12-5 Maritzburg College
5th: DHS 14-17 Maritzburg College
6th: DHS 0-32 Maritzburg College
7th: Michaelhouse 7-14 Maritzburg College
8th: Michaelhouse 5-24 Maritzburg College
9th: Hilton 7th 33-0 Maritzburg College
10th: Michaelhouse 9th 5-3 Maritzburg College
11th: Hilton 8th 33-7 Maritzburg College
16A: DHS 25-23 Maritzburg College
16B: DHS 7-0 Maritzburg College
16C: DHS 9-14 Maritzburg College
16D: DHS 3-19 Maritzburg College
16E: DHS 7-27 Maritzburg College
15A: DHS 19-7 Maritzburg College
15B: DHS 24-7 Maritzburg College
15C: DHS 14-15 Maritzburg College
15D: DHS 10-34 Maritzburg College
15E: DHS 0-63 Maritzburg College
14A: DHS 5-22 Maritzburg College
14B: DHS 17-0 Maritzburg College
14C: DHS 15-7 Maritzburg College
14D: DHS 14-12 Maritzburg College
14E: DHS 33-31 Maritzburg College
14F: Westville E 36-12 Maritzburg College
14G: Westville F 29-17 Maritzburg College
HOCKEY
Heavy rain on Thursday and Friday in Durban led to seven matches being postponed, including the 1st, 2nd, u16A and u14A games. They’ll be played on Wednesday, instead. The fixtures are below.
19 March
1st: Maritzburg College vs DHS, 18:15, DHS
2nd: Maritzburg College vs DHS, 18:30, Pape’s
3rd: Maritzburg College vs DHS, 17:30, Pape’s
16A: Maritzburg College vs DHS, 17:00, DHS
14A: Maritzburg College vs DHS, 16:00, DHS
14C: Maritzburg College vs DHS, 16:30, Pape’s
14D: Maritzburg College vs DHS, 15:30, Pape’s
In the matches that were played, matters between DHS and College were tight. Results between College and Northwood were mixed, too.
RESULTS
4th: Maritzburg College 10-0 Northwood 5th
5th: Maritzburg College 5-0 Northwood 6th
16B: DHS 2-0 Maritzburg College
16C: DHS 3-1 Maritzburg College
16D: DHS 2-3 Maritzburg College
16E: DHS 1-4 Maritzburg College
16F: Maritzburg College 4-1 Northwood
16G: Maritzburg College 4-0 Northwood
16H: Maritzburg College 0-5 Northwood
14B: DHS 0-4 Maritzburg College
14E: Maritzburg College 2-3 Northwood
Leave a Reply